Ford Fiesta ST200 adds more spice to a great hot hatch


The new Ford Fiesta ST200, which will debut at the Geneva Motor Show, will offer hot hatch fans in Europe an even more powerful version of the already fantastic model. Upgrades to the 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder allow it to produce 197 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque, and temporary overboost for up to 20 seconds takes those figures to 212 hp and 236 lb-ft. The company also shortens the final drive ratio to 4.06 – from 3.82 currently.

The ST200's upgrades are healthy improvements over the current Fiesta ST in Europe, which makes 180 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque (197 hp and 214 lb-ft during overboost). They would even be welcome additions in the US because the version here already has 197 hp, but it has 202 lb-ft – 12 lb-ft less than the new variant.

The extra power lets the hotter hatch sprint to 62 miles per hour in 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph. In comparison, the current Fiesta ST in Europe takes 6.9 seconds to get to 62 and tops out at 139 mph.

The ST200's appearance remains subdued, despite the extra performance. The exterior is available in a bland exclusive color called Storm Grey, and it rides on 17-inch matte black wheels with machined details. Red brake calipers provide a pop of color. Inside, front passengers sit in partial-leather Recaro sport seats with contrasting silver stitching.

ST200 production starts in June, but North American customers shouldn't get excited about the updates. Ford spokesperson Aaron Miller told Autoblog that the hotter Fiesta ST wouldn't arrive here "for the foreseeable future. This is a European specific vehicle."





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